1. What should we know about Classical China?
Ruled by the Qin & Han Dynasties

2. What should we already know about China?
Lack of fertile land
Loess
Mandate of Heaven
Dynastic Cycle
Oracle Bones
Fireworks / explosives
Think: Mulan
Feudalism
Chinese Dynasties:
Shang
Zhou
Qin
Han
Tang
Song
Yuan
Ming

3. Qin Dynasty Qin family ruled China from 221-206 BC
Emperor Shi Huang-di was the first emperor of China.
Used Legalism to Rule:
Philosophy used by Shi Huang-di to rule China
Strict laws and harsh punishments
Executed opposition and burned books to prevent new ideas
Shi Huang-di ( BC)
was a cruel ruler who readily
killed or banished those who opposed him or his ideas.

4. Qin Dynasty
Shi Huang-di standardized Chinese writing, law, currency, weights and measures.
He expanded the Chinese empire, built a system of roads and massive fortifications and palaces.
Shi Huangdi buried himself with a life size, clay army. This army was dubbed the Terra Cotta Soldiers.
Great Wall: The emperor connected
and extended the old walls along the
north of China to prevent nomadic
invasions.

5. Han Dynasty Important Political Facts:
Founded by a peasant,
Liu Bang
Important Political Facts:
Han family ruled 202 BC until A.D. 220
Adopted Confucian principles, rather than Legalism, to rule China.
Civil Service System: selected government officials based on merit; schools were set up to train government officials;
Emperor Han Wudi expanded the
territories ruled by China.
The Chinese population increased to over
60 million under the reign of Han rulers.
This huge population required a strong
bureaucracy to meet the needs of the people. Many farmers suffered because of the lack of available farmland.

6. Han Dynasty– Golden Age
New technology added to the economic
prosperity of the Han era. Contributions
made during this time improved trade,
farming, and manufacturing.
Contributions:
Textile manufacturing
Water mills = grain
Iron casting
Paper
Rudders improved shipping
Confucian schools
Architecture
Silk Road = Cultural Diffusion
Silk

7. Decline of the Han Dynasty
Weak rulers
Centralized Government began to decline
Nobles controlled most of land, limiting the opportunities for small farmers.
Nomadic invasions
Peasant Uprisings
Corruption
Civil Wars

8. Qin Dynasty vs. Han Dynasty
Venn Diagram